After suffering devastating losses in the pursuit to destroy the reaper, Millicent, Adelaide, and Oakes try to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives. As they prepare for another year at the Training Grounds, events unfold that provide hope—and the promise of more bloodshed.

The discovery of an ancient map presents a world of possibilities, along with whisperings of a device that holds the potential to bring Darius back. Millicent and her friends will embark on an epic journey and attempt the impossible—to cheat death. While increasing her control over the elements, a strange voice from beyond reaches out, offering a deadly proposal.

As the three students search for a way to bring Darius back—or decide to finally let him go, Dean Anders joins forces with Bao and Bixia to prepare the Training Grounds for an imminent attack. Not only must Anders juggle the external threats of Belladonna and the Unified Republic, but a new foe emerges, threatening to destroy the school from within.

The stakes are higher as cataclysmic battles bring Merchant Valley to the precipice of annihilation. Will the new weapons Anders creates for his prize students be enough? Can they possibly withstand the inevitable onslaught destined for the school? This time everyone must fight to stay alive—or die trying.